Picture-Play Magazine (Mar-Aug 1926)

102 Information, PI ease A department where questions are answered, advice is given, and many interesting phases of motionpicture making and pertinent side lights on the lives and interests of motion-picture players are discussed. The Picture Oracle GIRL FROM THE WINDY CITY.— Hasn't that wind stopped blowing yet? Pauline Garon is under contract to Warner Brothers; Laurence Wheat usually plays in Famous Players pictures, but I don't think he is under contract to them, and he doesn't give a home address. I can only suggest that you write him in their care. Lillian Rich was born in England. I don't know where Katherine Grant was born. About that snapshot of Olive Thomas — I didn't have your address, as you know, when I received it, and I put the picture away somewhere to save until I heard from you. I haven't been able to find it since ; it was a tiny little thing, and I'm afraid it has been lost. Mary Criss. — Didn't you know, really, that Doug Fairbanks, Jr., is the son of the famous Doug whose new picture is "Don Q" — followed by "The Black Pirate" — and who is the husband of Mary Pickford? The reason you haven't seen Baby Peggy's address is that she is not playing in pictures any more, and I don't know where she can be reached. She started out making a vaudeville tour last year, but I don't know whether she is still appearing on the stage or not. Olive. — You must have been going to a correspondence school — you write so many letters ! However, if no one asked me questions, I shouldn't have any job, and what would poor Robin do then, poor thing? Constance Bennett was born in New York about twenty years ago. Priscilla Bonner was born in Washington, D. C. — I don't know when — and I don't know about her sister. Raymond Griffith comes from Boston, where he was born in 1890. Marion Davies is a Brooklyn girl. Ann Pennington free lances, and has no permanent address that I know of ; however, she usually lives at the Hotel Algonquin when she is in New York. No doubt a letter would reach her there, I have included the other addresses in the list. Pete and Repeater. — Why don't you buy a repeater? William Duncan hasn't played in any pictures for about four years. In fact, he has dropped out of the movie world completely ; I don't know where he was born. He is married to Edith Johnson. As to who is the best scrapper on the screen, with the keenest way of handling his fists, I can't very well give my opinion without showing lack of tact. George O'Brien is quite a favorite among many of the movie people. Jack Blomstro. — I'm afraid Mary Miles Minter has retired from movie work for good. Roscoe Arbuckle is directing — helping out in Buster Keaton's pictures, I think. Gladys Walton had a baby last spring, and so her screen appearances have been rather infrequent, as she has domestic interests. Rupert in "Rupert of Hentzau" was played by Lew Cody. Prince Gabriel's special officer in "Graustark" was Roy d'Arcy. "Ben-Hur" is a Metro-Goldwyn picture. No, Monte Blue and Rod La Rocque are not related; they do look alike, though, don't they? A Eugene O'Brien Fan. — Eugene O'Brien is forty-two, and is a bachelor. He is six feet tall and a blond, with blue eyes. Yes, he free lances, and is a leading man, but not a star. He has no permanent address, as he works in different studios, but he is probably most often engaged at Ufnited studios — address below. I don't think Gloria Hope ever played opposite her husband, Lloyd Hughes, though they both appeared in Mary Pickford's "Tess of the Storm Country" several years ago, in which Lloyd was the leading man. That, I think, was about Gloria's last film before she retired. There is no chance of seeing Norma Talmadge and Marion Davies both in the same picture, as it is too expensive for a producer to pay two highpriced stars salaries in the same production. The hero in Katherine MacDonald's picture, "Refuge," was Hugh Thompson. Betty Bronson will probably play in many modern films from time to time, though she is usually cast in old-fashioned stories because she is such a quaint type. I haven't seen any announcement of a picture version of "The Sporting Chance," the magazine serial you mention. As to forming a Norma Talmadge club — or any other fan club — I don't really know much about it. Notices are simply sent in to me that a club has been formed and I publish them. However, I should think you could gather a group together in your home town as a starter, and send notices to film magazines asking others to join you. Midnight Rose. — Many people feel somewhat "rosy" at midnight, but not, probably for the same reason you do ! Gloria Swanson has her own office at 522 Fifth Avenue, New York City, for the purpose of taking care of her fan mail. No, it is not always necessary to send a quarter for a star's picture, though few of them will admit that they send photographs free, because then no one would pay for them. One screen player's fan correspondence cost eighteen thousand dollars in one year ! So you can see why no one admits sending out free photographs. Some stars have secretaries to take care of their fan mail ; other players' mail is taken care of by the companies for which they work. That is why most players have their mail sent to them at the studios. Another reason, of course, is that an actor's popularity is judged by the number of letters he receives. Bye-Bye. — So you'd like to kiss Ramon Novarro? Go ahead, as far as I'm concerned. If you have one hundred and ninety-three pictures of screen stars, you hold the record among Oracle readers that I know about. The previous record, if I remember correctly, is ninety-three, or perhaps ninety-six. Of course, I may be wrong — that could happen. Rod La Rocque and Monte Blue are not related, though they do look almost like twins. J. Warren Kerrigan played in "Captain Blood" and then made a personal-appearance tour with the film. It was announced some time ago that he was to make a series of six Westerns, but I've heard nothing more of the plan. Yakima Canutt is an Indian, I believe, who was featured in one series of pictures. I don't think he plays in films any more. I have included the addresses you asked for in the list at the bottom of this department — at least, those that I know. Sohpie. — Is that supposed to be Sophie, or is it really a new kind of pie? As to whether John Gilbert likes Lillian Gish, I don't know why he shouldn't. He is thirty years old and is divorced from Leatrice Joy. Eugene O'Brien is forty-one and is a bachelor ; so far as I know, that is his real name. Colleen Moore is Mrs. John McCormick; she is in her early twenties. Ben Lyon is about twenty-six; no, he isn't married, and neither is Rod La Rocque. Didn't you read in the papers that Rudolph Valentino and Natacha Rambova were recently divorced? Rudolph is thirty years old, and Malcolm MacGregor about twenty-eight. Yes, Norma and Constance Talmadge are sisters ; Constance was born April 19, 1900. Norma gives her birth date as 1897. Marie Prevost is twenty-seven. The others you ask about don't give their ages. Estelle Taylor had an important role in "The Ten Commandments." The film, "Ben-Hur," was released in New York about Christmas time. The only way to get a picture of a screen star is to write to the star in question and ask for one. Continued on page 119